By 1914, Kafka exhibited a notable interest in occult practices such as meditation and visualization, akin to those described by Steiner in "Knowledge of the Higher Worlds and Its Attainment." During this period, Kafka noted in his diary that his intense focus on recording his dreams was beginning to dominate his life. This obsession aligns with the widespread esoteric teachings in early 20th-century Europe, which emphasized the importance of dreams. Self-help guides and spiritualist literature of the era often included advertisements promoting the study of dreams. Steiner, a key figure in Theosophy, regarded dreams as central to spiritual development and provided a structured approach to transform dreams into mystical experiences in Higher Worlds. His lectures across Europe further spread the idea that meditative reflections on dreams could unlock higher planes of consciousness. Kafka was not immune to this fascination; his diary from 1910 begins with a vivid account of a dream where he questioned the dancer Eduardova about the flowers in her girdle, to which she replied they were gifts from European princes. This image, rich with symbolism, left a profound impression on Kafka. From that point forward, his writings reveal a deep preoccupation with dreams, seamlessly blending dream narratives into his stories, blurring the line between his waking thoughts and nocturnal visions.
In August 1914, Kafka expressed his despair over how his ability to depict his dreamlike inner world had overshadowed everything else, causing his real life to wither significantly and foreseeing its continued decline:
"Der Sinn für die Darstellung meines traumhaften inneren Lebens hat alles andere ins Nebensächliche gerückt, und es ist in einer schrecklichen Weise verkümmert und hört nicht auf, zu verkümmern. Nichts anderes kann mich jemals zufriedenstellen." [Tagebücher 262]
"My talent for portraying my dreamlike inner life has thrust all matters into the background; my life has dwindled dreadfully, nor will it cease to dwindle. Nothing else will ever satisfy me."
Kafka once professed that only the dream life could bring him true fulfillment, an assertion that resonates intriguingly with esoteric ideas linking dream consciousness and clairvoyance.
Both dream consciousness and clairvoyance involve transcending the ordinary boundaries of cognition to glimpse the spiritual dimensions. Over the next decade, Kafka meticulously recorded at least 37 dreams in his diaries, not necessarily as a Theosophist or mystic, but as a keen observer of his own psyche. Scholars like Selma Fraiburg contend that Kafka regarded dreams as raw material for his literary craft, using them to explore the interplay between unconscious thought and artistic form. Yet, the parallels between his dream-focused efforts and esoteric interpretations suggest that Kafka’s dream enterprises could straddle both artistic and spiritual realms, highlighting the multifaceted nature of his engagement with the dream world.
In envisioning Kafka as a looming figure embedded in the city skyline, "The Obsession with Dreams" becomes a visual ode to the ethereal collision of the urban and the unconscious. The towering presence of Kafka, both monumental and spectral, mirrors the dreamer wandering through realms unseen, his essence intertwined with the architecture of thought and imagination. His figure dissolves into the labyrinthine streets, as if the city itself breathes with the rhythm of his dreams, each window a portal to an unspoken vision. This painting captures the enigmatic beauty of a psyche suspended between reality and transcendence, a world where the boundaries blur and every corner whispers the infinite possibilities of a dream.
